A high-profile San Francisco lawyer scrambles to save her career, her client, and her life in this mystery by the author of Face Value.

When a cash-cow client bails, attorney Laura Di Palma is certain her old boss is out to ruin her. She visits labor lawyer Jocelyn Kinsley to sue the creep for slander, but their meeting is cut short when Jocelyn is shot by an intruder. As she lays dying, she whispers a cryptic clue to Laura: “Designer crimes.”

Assisted by her friend and former flame, private detective Sandy Arkelett, Laura searches for the meaning behind Jocelyn’s last words. Meanwhile, she must defend her one remaining client, an old high school friend accused of murder. His girlfriend left town—a bucket of blood in her wake.

Sandy wonders if the bullet that killed Jocelyn was meant for Laura, and when someone tries to shoot her, she begins to agree. Now, Laura must decipher who’s out to kill whom and why—before someone makes certain her only client is her last . . .

“Complex and satisfying for Ms. Matera’s faithful readers, who have come to expect such brain-burners from her.” —The New York Times

“[Matera’s] skill and literary flair are everywhere on display. Every word counts, and the pieces of the puzzle fit together with exhilarating precision.” —ABA Journal

“Matera once again demonstrates her mastery of characterization, plotting, and pacing.” —Booklist

Private Investigators